SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A year can make a big difference in the development of a football team. Twelve months ago, Sacramento State wrapped up spring ball with a disappointing final scrimmage where the offense threw a pair of interceptions for touchdowns and the team headed to summer with more questions than answers.
A lot of those questions were answered during the fall where the team rallied behind quarterback Kevin Thomson and offensive coordinators Luke Huard and Paul Wulff to become one of the most potent attacks in the FCS. The defense showed a newfound ability to create turnovers, get to the quarterback and force turnovers which helped the team to a 7-4 overall record and a school record 6-2 mark in Big Sky games.
The 2018 spring practice concluded on Friday night with an abbreviated game in which the White team rallied for a 17-14 win over the Green at Hornet Stadium. For the first time in recent memory, the team was divided into two squads which competed in a game format over four 10 minute quarters.
"There were no balls on the ground and I really liked what I saw on both sides of the ball," Sacramento State head coach Jody Sears said following the scrimmage. "It was nice to see guys make some plays.
"We can still grow and work on our stability but it's nice to have the parts. We need to continue to mature and push ourselves beyond what we know."
Thomson led the Green team during the opening drive and completed his first three pass attempts for 41 yards. However, the White team was able to force a pair of incompletions to stop the series. After the Green team limited the White to nine yards, Thomson capped a 70-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Green a 7-0 lead. The quarterback also had a 22-yard rush during the drive and completed both his pass attempts for 16 yards.
With redshirt freshman Tristan Meyer under center, the White team posted its first points on a 38-yard field goal from Israel Farfan on the ensuing drive. Redshirt freshman Pierre Williams had three catches for a combined 26 yards and fellow redshirt Dewey Cotton added a 9-yard grab.
The third quarter began with the White team taking the lead on a 10-play, 55-yard drive which resulted in a touchdown. Running backs Ja'Narrick James and Montaz Thompson shared most of the duties during the series. James broke through for a 20-yard TD run to give the White team a 10-7 advantage.
Wyatt Clapper, who started the game for the White, moved to the Green team in the second half and swung the lead back to the Green following his 21-yard touchdown run. Alexis Robinson had catches of 13 and 30-yard yards to set up the score which came on the first play of the fourth quarter.
With one drive remaining in the game, the Green team looked to have the contest in hand after Marcus Bruce sacked Meyer for a 10-yard loss on the opening play. A false start and incomplete pass set up a 3rd-and 25 where Meyer found tight end Calvin Grover over the middle of the field. The Green team believed Grove was down but he rambled another 40 yards before being stopped at the 2-yard line. Thompson dove in from 1-yard out for the final points.
The defense was credited with five sacks during the game. Along with Bruce, Killian Rosko, David Perales and Josh Cooper were each credited with a sack.
PASSING STATS
Kevin Thomson, 5-7-0-57-0; Wyatt Clapper 4-7-0-43-0; Tristan Meyer 8-12-0-105-0.
RUSHING STATS
Ja'Narrick James 20-33, TD; Kevin Thomson 4-26, TD; Wyatt Clapper 3-26, TD; Isaiah Gable 2-14; Pierre Williams 1-8; Elijah Dotson 2-7; Montaz Thompson 5-10, TD; Tristan Meyer 2-1.
RECEIVING STATS
Calvin Grover 1-73; Alexis Robinson 2-43; Pierre Williams 3-26; Johnnie Rucker 1-21; Jaelin Ratliff 2-23; Ja'Narrick James 1-11; Montaz Thompson 1-11; Dewey Cotton 2-9; BJ Perkinson 1-8; Nolan Merker 1-5.

April 24, 2018
FOOTBALL RELEASES 2018 SCHEDULE

April 14, 2018
WHITE RALLIES TO BEAT GREEN ON FINAL DRIVE OF SPRING GAME

April 12, 2018
GREEN-GOLD GAME CULMINATES SPRING BALL FOR FOOTBALL

March 8, 2018
REGISTRATION FOR BOB MATTOS GOLF CLASSIC NOW OPEN

February 7, 2018
FOOTBALL COMPLETES RECRUITING CLASS WITH 25 SIGNEES

January 29, 2018
JB HALL HIRED AS CORNERBACKS COACH

December 22, 2017
FOOTBALL CLASS CONTINUES TO GROW, NOW UP TO EIGHT SIGNEES

December 12, 2017
SORENSEN NAMED TO ASSOCIATED PRESS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM

December 4, 2017
MEDEIROS NAMED FINALIST FOR THE FRED MITCHELL AWARD

November 30, 2017
JODY SEARS AGREES TO MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION TO REMAIN HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

November 26, 2017
RICKY RAY WINS FOURTH GREY CUP, LEADS TORONTO TO COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN

November 22, 2017
JODY SEARS NAMED BIG SKY COACH OF THE YEAR

November 21, 2017
SORENSEN, OBINNA, HARRIEL HIGHLIGHT 14 PLAYERS NAMED ALL-BIG SKY

November 14, 2017
FOOTBALL READIES FOR 64TH ANNUAL CAUSEWAY CLASSIC ON SATURDAY

November 11, 2017
FOOTBALL BLOWS PAST CAL POLY, 49-14, GUARANTEES WINNING RECORD

November 7, 2017
FOOTBALL HEADS TO CAL POLY FOR FINAL ROAD GAME THIS SATURDAY

November 4, 2017
FOOTBALL PULLS AWAY FOR 50-21 WIN OVER NORTHERN COLORADO

October 28, 2017
FOOTBALL TOPPED BY NO. 24 NORTHERN ARIZONA. 37-17

October 24, 2017
FOOTBALL PLAYS AT NORTHERN ARIZONA ON SATURDAY IN FIRST-PLACE BATTLE

October 21, 2017
FOOTBALL WINS 34-27 AT NORTH DAKOTA

October 17, 2017
FOOTBALL SEARCHES FOR ROAD WIN AT NORTH DAKOTA ON SATURDAY

October 14, 2017
FOOTBALL TOPS IDAHO STATE, 41-21, ON HOMECOMING

October 10, 2017
HOMECOMING UP NEXT FOR FOOTBALL AGAINST IDAHO STATE ON SATURDAY

September 30, 2017
FOOTBALL OUTGUNNED BY No. 9 EASTERN WASHINGTON, 52-31

September 26, 2017
FOOTBALL TRAVELS TO No. 9 EASTERN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY

September 25, 2017
THOMSON NAMED FCS NATIONAL AND BIG SKY OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

September 23, 2017
FOOTBALL RUSHES TO 1-0 START IN BIG SKY WITH 54-27 WIN OVER SOUTHERN UTAH

September 19, 2017
FOOTBALL CAPS HOMESTAND AGAINST SOUTHERN UTAH ON SATURDAY

September 16, 2017
FOOTBALL CAN'T OVERCOME EARLY DEFICIT IN 31-24 LOSS TO WEBER STATE

September 13, 2017
FOOTBALL CONTINUES HOMESTAND AGAINST WEBER STATE ON SATURDAY NIGHT

September 11, 2017
TERRELL NAMED FCS NATIONAL AND BIG SKY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

September 9, 2017
FOOTBALL ROLLS TO 56-22 WIN OVER INCARNATE WORD IN HOME OPENER

September 7, 2017
FOOTBALL GAMES TO FEATURE A BEER GARDEN IN 2017

September 5, 2017
FOOTBALL HOSTS INCARNATE WORD IN HOME OPENER ON SATURDAY

August 31, 2017
FOOTBALL FALLS TO IDAHO, 28-6, IN SEASON OPENER

August 28, 2017
FOOTBALL STARTS 2017 AT IDAHO ON THURSDAY

August 17, 2017
TRAINING CAMP Q&A: JOSEPH AJEIGBE

August 12, 2017
NEWCOMERS SHOWCASED IN FIRST SCRIMMAGE OF CAMP

August 8, 2017
TRAINING CAMP Q&A: BEN SORENSEN

August 2, 2017
TRAINING CAMP Q&A: ISIAH HENNIE

July 31, 2017
NFL CAMPS OPEN WITH THREE HORNETS IN ATTENDANCE

July 18, 2017
Q&A WITH HEAD COACH JODY SEARS AT BIG SKY KICKOFF

June 19, 2017
FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES 2017 HALL OF FAME CLASS